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Merchant's Quarter (District)
Though a great deal of buying and selling goes on in the Coins and the Docks, real business takes place in the Merchants’ Quarter. It is here that the merchant caravans of half the world are bought and sold before they ever set out from their homelands, the price of mead is set throughout the region and fortunes that would make kings weep are made and lost every day. The Merchant's Quarter is filled with hundreds of factories and, as such, is quite smokey and smoggy all hours of the day and the smell is something to get used to, that's for sure. Clockwork Tower A massive clocktower that serves as the headquarters of the secretive Clockwork Brotherhood. Javelin Gallery The Javelin Gallery is an old manor dating back to before the coming of Artax, which has been converted to serve as both a weapons emporium and military compound. In both functions it is the domain of the Guild of Spears, who serve as the paid district guard of the Merchant's Quarter and operate the largest weapon-forgers and arms imports in Val Royeaux. Most of the Gallery's owners are retired guard members, though many actually served in different districts and some even in the First Guard. As a result, the Gallery is among the most secure shops in Temeria with off-duty guards frequently found lounging about and the smiths themselves experienced veterans of a dozen battles. The Grand Dance Hall of Kortos An ornate, round building with dozens of entrances at ground level and a few on the roof, this is officially simply a theater in-the-round for Vudrani-style dancing troupes to take the central stage of the vast, unbroken interior space. There they showcase everything from belly-gyrating silk dances to mounted camel ballet to saber-tossing gymnastics. While many of the performers are true-blooded ethnic Vudrani, even more are Temerian natives who have studied at the Dance Hall their entire lives to perfect the eastern arts. Endowed by a rich Rajah centuries ago, the Dance Hall has no need to charge admission to its lowest levels and instead allows in anyone who is well dressed and well behaved. However, those who wish to be allowed to the three tiers of upper balconies must become patrons, which has a hefty annual fee (the greater the fee, the more guests they may bring with them). As a result, minor nobles and major merchants, along with their entourages, often visit the Dance Hall on a daily basis, with the height of their stay saying much about their financial and social status. And there, they do business. With chairs and tables surrounding the theater, and four tiers of balconies running around the whole building, the Dance Hall has become a major exchange for merchants, investors, majordomos and crafters. Long before a caravan of ships sails across the Sentinel Sea, chances are good its goods are discussed, bought, sold and traded at the Dance Hall. The price of everything available in the region, from swords to wine, is influenced by how many people have the commodities offered here and how many want to buy them. Many merchants call the building the Hall at the Center of the World. The Second Labyrinth The Labyrinth of Absalom is a mythical subterranean complex that was Aroden supposedly navigated to slay a terrible beast. The Second Labyrinth is a high-end tavern, gambling house and brothel. Owned by House Tevineg, it is also a major source of profit for the House and a place Chelish spies and sympathizers can gather in secrecy and receive favored treatment. The games within are scrupulously fair, with the house possessing no edge but a hefty 100 gp entry fee (waived for “friends of the house”) to walk through the door, and extremely expensive food, drink and paid companions to ensure the Second Labyrinth sees a tidy profit. It is most famous for its unique betting card game, Maze and its least expensive courtesan, the Sculptress.